The surge is primarily due to increase in prices of other manufacturing, manufacture of basic metals, non-food articles, food articles and textiles
After India’s consumer price index inflation rose to 3.21 per cent in February 2026, the wholesale inflation has also surged to 2.13 per cent in February as compared to 1.81 per cent in January 2026, official data showed on Monday.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that the annual rate of inflation based on All India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) number rose primarily due to increase in prices of other manufacturing, manufacture of basic metals, non-food articles, food articles and textiles.
The food index consisting of ‘food articles’ from primary articles group and ‘food product’ from manufactured products group have decreased from 194.2 in January 2026 to 192.9 in February 2026. The rate of inflation (YoY) based on WPI food index increased to 1.85 per cent in February 2026.
The annual rate of inflation in primary articles stood at 3.27 per cent in February 2026 as compared to 2.21 per cent in January. Similarly, the inflation in manufactured products also rose to 2.92 per cent from 2.86 per cent during the same period. On the other hand, inflation in fuel and power stood at -3.78 per cent, as compared to -4.01 per cent in January.
When it comes to month-on-month changes, the index for primary articles group declined by 0.52 per cent from 193.9 (provisional) for January 2026 to 192.9 (provisional) in February 2026. The price of food articles (-1.33 per cent) and minerals (-1.21 per cent) decreased in February 2026 as compared to January 2026. The price of crude petroleum and natural gas (4.17 per cent) and non- food articles (0.83 per cent) increased in February as compared to January.
The index for fuel and power group increased by 1.17 per cent from 145.9 (provisional) for the month of January 2026 to 147.6 (provisional) in February 2026. The price of mineral oils (2.05 per cent) increased in February 2026 as compared to January 2026. The price of electricity (-0.27 per cent) decreased in February 2026 as compared to January.
The ministry added that the index for manufactured products group increased by 0.47 per cent from 147.5 for the month of January to 148.2 in February. Out of the 22 NIC two-digit groups for manufactured products, 16 groups witnessed an increase in prices and five groups witnessed a decrease in prices.
Some of the important groups that showed month-over-month increase in prices were other manufacturing, manufacture of food products, textiles, manufacture of electrical equipment and chemical and chemical products. Some of the groups that witnessed a decrease in prices were manufacture of basic metals, computer, electronic and optical products, fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, wood and products of wood and cork and leather and related products in February as compared to January.
